23-07-2025
Herman Brown back a winner after 12 years
One of South Africa's most popular trainers, and certainly, one of the better-known ones in Singapore, has made a winning comeback after 12 years off the scene - Herman Brown.
Remarkably, The Night Ferry was the horseman's first runner since 2012 in Meydan, Dubai, when he closed the chapter on an outstanding training career, both on South African soil and internationally.
Lined up in an Open Maiden race (1,600m) at Kenilworth on July 22, The Night Ferry, who was previously trained by Justin Snaith, led from start to finish under jockey Grant van Niekerk.
"It's a great start," said Brown. "I haven't had a runner in 12 years - I was nervous.
"I must have had 25,000 runners in my career by now, but this one felt different.
"Grant rode a lovely race. He's not an easy horse to ride, but he outstayed them."
"Outstaying" is one word who would fit one of the best horses he ever trained like a glove - Jay Peg.
The globetrotter took no prisoners in the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup (2,000m) in May 2008, two months after he defied a slipped saddle to land the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free (1,800m, now Dubai Turf) at the old Nad Al Sheba track. He was ridden on both occasions by now-retired champion jockey Anton Marcus, younger brother of former Kranji trainer Basil, who originally prepared Jay Peg.
Brown tried to go back-to-back the following year, but a dehydrated Jay Peg could not land the same blow, tailing off badly after taking up his customary leading role to run a long last to French raider Gloria De Campeao.
Undeterred, Brown had one more shot at that balmy Kranji night in May two years later, this time hitting paydirt when Gitano Hernando handed him a second SIA Cup triumph in 2011.
Spurred on by his victorious offshore raids, Brown soon set up a satellite stable in Dubai where he did not quite reach the same lofty heights as his more famous compatriot Mike de Kock, but still achieved plenty of acclaim.
However, with the ever-increasing complexities of exporting horses from South Africa since the African horse sickness outbreak in 2010, Brown decided to hand in his licence in 2013.
It is therefore no coincidence that his training comeback was timed around South Africa's revised export protocols in 2024, whereby horses can be sent directly to Europe for the first time in 14 years.
Brown will favour quality over quantity for a start and has based himself in Philippi in Cape Town.
"I'm starting from the bottom up with a small string, but things are going well," he said.
Brown, whose father Herman Brown Sr was also a famous South African trainer and died in 2023 at the age of 93, has not plotted any specific path, but clearly would like to train more than the current string of six horses in his barn.
"I have bought 15 yearlings at various sales. They will be coming into the yard towards the end of the year, I look forward to that," said the third-generation trainer.
"I'm hoping to get some older horses to compete with, to get momentum going. I'm confident that will happen when my young runners start performing."
Given Brown's wealth of experience on both the local and global stage, South African racing, especially around the Cape, looks all poised to benefit from his return from retirement.
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